Are you a real photographer?

Ask yourself these 10 questions

  1. Do you roll your eyes in exasperation when you see a blizzard of tiny photo-flashes twinkling amongst the crowd at some humongous great sports stadium?
  2. Do you know what ‘bokeh’ is?
  3. Do you genuinely wince in pain when an elderly relative asks you if you’ve taken any good ‘snaps’ lately?
  4. Do you always carry a spare battery? Charged?
  5. Do your friends hand you their cameras when they want a good photo taken?
  6. Do you own a tripod? Not one of those diddy little things that slip in your pocket. A real tripod. That weighs a ton.
  7. And do you carry it about with you? And hang your backpack from it? And know why you’re hanging your backpack from it?
  8. Has your spouse/partner given up groaning in exasperation when you climb out of bed at 4am on a frosty morning?
  9. Did you start asking what shutter speed and aperture was used for a photograph ... and now given up asking?
  10. Do people look at you as if you’re crazy when you point your camera at a chunk of rock or similar, apparently featureless object?
If you can answer yes to all these questions – congratulations.

You’re a real photographer.

3 comments:

Pete Bresser said...

Guilty as charged, m'lud.

Paul Conrad said...

If passing means not missing any, I guess I'm not.

Bokeh? I had to use a dictionary.


1. No. I'm being paid to be here.
2. Dictionaries are wonderful books.
3. No. I usually tell them I have taken a few "O.K." shots. I never even mentioned my awards.
4. YES! I answered one right!
5. No. Most my friends are photogs as well.
6. YES! Another one!
7. Another YES!
8. No. Most my GFs (and one ex-wife) knew my job. Although, I did have one that asked me: "Would you turn off the scanner if we were having sex?" Duhhhh. No, news happens ALL the time.
9. No. I was more interested in the final image.
10. Yes! Hah! Another one.

Alistair Scott said...

Great stuff Paul!

And glad you found out what Bokeh is. Was it in your dictionary? It's not in my OED Reference Version